Gacha Leveling

Kaoru dodged Matthew’s fireballs with ease. He couldn’t aim in a straight line in fear of hurting one of the people watching the duel, so he aimed slightly down so that the fireball would hit and explode on the ground.

Kaoru tried to get close, but Matthew was expertly keeping his distance.

She ducked from a fireball that exploded just behind her, used her sword to pry off a cobblestone from the ground and kicked it against Matthew who was forced to crush it midair.

This gave the samurai time to step in and try a slash at Matthew who defended himself with Aym’s dagger. He tried a roundhouse kick at her, but she sidestepped rapidly to avoid it.

Her next movement was a series of stabs with both swords. Matthew deflected them, but she could control his ground movement by stabbing at the right place and forcing him to slowly move to where she wanted him.

When he was in position, Kaoru connected a kick to his belly. Even through his Vital Shield and armor, Matthew felt that. His feet dragged on the floor as the force of the impact pushed him backwards.

The distance created was perfect for Kaoru to slash with both swords aiming high and low at the same time.

Matthew was in an awkward position and couldn’t deflect both attacks at the same time.

Then the samurai’s blades pierced through his position spreading thick miasma on their path.

Kaoru jumped back with wide eyes. She didn’t feel any contact. At the moment she attacked, a thick black mist covered his position and her swords just passed through it. Where was he? The miasma was now too thick for her to see him.

The sounds of the audience talking and cheering dulled her own hearing. She didn’t have any sensing mana skills and relied exclusively on her eyes and ears.

Where was he?

She kept moving in circles, trying not to give him time to attack her from the back without her seeing.

When she noticed a shadow that wasn’t supposed to be there, it was too late.

Matthew jumped out of the shadow, Aym’s blade was shining bright red and moving in the direction of her throat. Miroslav and Charles screamed her name while Raphael took a step forward. All prepared to prevent her death.

Then everyone stopped.

Kazan held Matthew’s hand, his blade hovering away from Kaoru’s neck.

"That’s enough." The elf said.

Kaoru trembled at first. She saw herself dying for a moment. Then a huge smile took over her face.

When Kazan let Matthew go and everyone relaxed their postures, Kaoru hugged Matthew hard.

"That was so good!" She exclaimed. "I never thought someone could actually just vanish in the middle of a fight like that."

Karynn stepped in, using purification to clear out the miasma and unholy fire that covered the Atrium.

Faralynn stepped in quickly, prying Matthew from her embrace with a menacing look at her while Miroslav did the same, but with her and looking at Matthew.

Charles approached laughing.

"You don’t need to fret. Kaoru has no romantic emotions whatsoever. She only lives to fight." Raphael explained Charles’ laughter. "We know it very well."

For a moment, while still holding Matthew in her arms, Faralynn looked at the party. A self deprecating smile was on the face of the three men, while Kaoru looked oblivious about their feelings.

"I see." Faralynn said, letting Matthew go.

"Guess the sword is yours then." Kaoru sighed and sheathed her swords. "It was a fun fight. I learned a lot."

"Me too." Matthew said, storing his swords in his inventory and shaking her hand.

"Glad this issue is solved." Professor Claude smiled at them. "It was a great fight."

"Your fighting style is quite impressive." Kazan praised Kaoru. "But you lack variety in your weapons."

"I realized that." Kaoru bowed to the warrior as a thanks for his commentary, returning to her composed self.

"And you. I see much of Firynn in your style." She told Matthew. "But you still have a lot of bad habits that need to be thrown out."

"I know." Matthew sighed.

The students went away shortly after the duel.

Kaoru and her party left after some short words as well.

Erin, Helen, Tina, Ffyr, Faralynn and Mia were waiting for Matthew sitting on a marble bench on the side.

Vanessa gave Matthew the sword. Eric and her congratulated him on the victory. And after some brief words, they also went home.

Sebastian came over with his brother Marcus who had his eyes shining bright after seeing Matthew fighting closely. Sarah was with them.

"You were so cool!" Marcus said.

"Thank you." Matthew smiled at the kid.

"Do you think I can be as strong as you?" Marcus asked, averting his eyes bashfully.

"Even stronger. We survived the same hell. And you are younger than I am. If you train well, of course you can." Matthew smiled.

Marcus smiled then and looked around nervously without saying a word.

"Do you want to go home now?" Sebastian asked his brother in a tender tone.

"Yeah." Marcus said, scratching his own arms.

Matthew shook their hands thanking them for coming and cheering for him. The siblings went away almost in a hurry after that.

"Sebas said it’s the first time his brother came out of the house in 2 years." Sarah told Matthew.

"I figured. It must’ve taken a lot from Marcus to have come today. I’m glad I could win in front of him. You should’ve told me they were here before." He admonished his sister.

"And make you nervous before a deadly duel? No way." She protested.

"Matt!" Tina approached him after everyone finally went away. The others came right behind her. "Thanks for getting the sword. The Black Tower doesn’t have an adventuring branch in the country and couldn’t muster any party to go and fetch it." She explained.

"I thought so." He smiled at her while she held Orpheu’s sword in her hand.

"You’re okay with giving this to the Tower?" She asked.

"Yeah. If anyone can find Orpheu and the Great Three, it is the Tower."

"Okay. I’ll let you know if we find anything." Tina said.

Erin and Helen went with her, they were heading straight to the Black Tower’s laboratory in town where Tina worked when she was not adventuring or at school.

"How do you think the sword ended up there?" Mia asked.

"I have no idea." Matthew said.

"What are the two of you going to do now?" Sarah asked Faralynn and Mia.

"Home. I think." Faralynn said.

"Let’s go out to eat! We need to celebrate! Matt won!" Ffyr exclaimed.

"She’s right." Sarah said.

They all went to a restaurant where they ate and drank their fill in celebration.

Mia and Faralynn got drunk fast. Sarah, who couldn’t drink, and Ffyr, who disliked drinking, stayed sober.

Matthew got drunk as well, but not as bad as the women.

Sarah had a driver’s license and drove them to Faralynn’s place in Matthew’s car, leaving them there and going home with Ffyr.

With Matthew’s Strength, it was to carry both women at the same time.

Karynn, who was living in Faralynn’s house, helped him put Mia and the elf to bed where they slept cuddling each other.

"We never spoke, me and you." Karynn said to Matthew while he closed the door to Faralynn’s bedroom.

"Other than when you tried to kill me and Faynn, no." He chuckled.

"You’re still ill disposed about that?" Karynn smiled at him.

"A bit, yes. I tend to dislike people who tried to kidnap and marry my fiancée to other people." He gave an acid response, but in an overall positive tone.

"You’re right." She chuckled while guiding him to the kitchen. "I shouldn’t have supported Farynn." She noted. "But at the time it seemed the best option for my family."

"How so?" Matthew asked.

"We’re not of noble birth. My father and I were elevated to noblehood due to our skills. Me, a priestess and him, a warrior." She explained while serving Matthew some coffee. "Farynn promised me a noble title for our family, something Farzan never did."

"I see." Matthew drank the coffee slowly.

"But that’s over now. My family will never be anything other than peasants now after my treason. And father and I will never go back to Nuilynn." She served herself some coffee.

"Lynn is a fair person. She is strict when needed. But she’s kind and fair." Matthew smiled talking about his fiancée.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that if you do good work here, I’m sure she’ll be lenient and allow you to return home someday."

"Farzan will never allow it." Karynn scoffed.

"Farzan is not the duke, is he? Even though Lynn’s coronation was just a means to an end, she is the dutchess, isn’t she? And knowing her, she will know how to use it in her favor. If she needs to, that is."

Karynn just drank her coffee in silence thinking about that.

Matthew said goodnight and went to Faralynn’s room where he slept cuddling his fiancée while she cuddled Mia.

Karynn went to bed with renewed intent. Matthew was right. Faralynn was the dutchess. It was in her best interest to serve her well.